Madhya Pradesh is one of the Indian states that offers a complete travel platter for the wanderers of all kinds. Plethora of wildlife treasure to a quintessential abundance of historic art and architecture, Madhya Pradesh has it all for you. Bhopal and Indore are the main cities as well as the perfect centres to embark on a long journey around the state. While Omkareshwar -Maheshwar – Mandu route is much feasible from Indore, a perfect road trip from Bhopal can include Bhimbetka- Bhedaghat- Bandhavgarh National Park – Kajuraho – Orchha – Chanderi – Gwalior.

For a nature enthusiasts or for any gateway close to nature, taking a long weekend trip covering Bhimbetka – Bhedaghat – Bandhavgarh is a delight for a tired soul.

Bhopal, the City of Raja Bhoj

The city of Nawabs was once the capital of the kingdom of a king Parmara Raja Bhoj who is also supposed to be the founder of this royal city. The giant statue at the bank of the ‘Bada taal’ aka ‘Bhoj Taal’ sings the glory of the great king. The lake is one of the prominent tourists sites. It is said that it was built by fetching the water of total 365 tributaries. Owing to the vast green land formed around this lake, it has become a home-ground to a variety of bird species.

The city was also a cynosure of the kingdom, during the Muslim rule. Moti Masjid, Shaukat Mahal, Gauhar Mahal and the Taj-ul Masjid are a few of the spectacular attractions. Bhopal is said to have became famous for 3 things during that time- Jarda, Parda and Naamarda. Apparently, it is the only kingdom where the queens ruled successively despite the ‘Parda'(veil) system prevailed prominently.

While in Bhopal, don’t forget to savour some delicacies from the Manohar Dairy Restaurant.

An Open-air Museum of Mesolithic Art at Bhimbetka

Ever wondered what did the humans do for recreation during the stone age ? Well, Bhimbetka, which is a recently discovered site, is, in a way, a town comprising of around 500 rock shelters dating back to around 10,000 years BC. A few of these shelters show the oldest of the wall paintings depicting the culture, lifestyle and animals of the Mesolithic age. There are paintings in different colors, mainly red, green and white. Most of them resemble to the Worli Art of Maharashtra. The decorated boar, war scene, dances, animals, fire are the prominent paintings giving us an insight of their life and culture. Many temples including Khajuraho and Chandpur in UP have sculpted the similar boar, as seen in Bhimbetka, in their complexes.

The entrance of the this rock colony is marked by a temple worshiping a goddess. It is believed that Bheem, one of the Pandavas, created this temple during their exile period. If you follow the Guide book of ASI, even 2-3 hours would be less for the exploration of this precious discovery.

Bhedaghat and the Spectacular Narmada

The magnificence of marble is not restricted to man-made structures. Because, when nature creates something, it assumes the best look in its rawest form. That’s what Bhedaghat is all about; the magic of marble rocks at their natural best. Nestled on the banks of the Narmada River, this quaint little town is known for its scenic landscape, rendered by the rocky terrain and the gushing waters of the Narmada.

The cozy little town is known to travelers for three key elements- the rocks, the falls, and the temple. Each of these famous sights is spectacular on their own and collectively define Bhedaghat. For an all-rounded tour, it is recommended to book a top rated car rental with a driver and make a day or a weekend trip to these locations.

Bandhavgarh National Park

Popularised by the stories of the terrific tigers like Charger and Sita, Bandhavgarh is one of the top sites for tiger spotting. The Park is mainly divided into three ranges named Tala, Khitauli and Magdhi. Though the main attraction here is the tiger, Bandhavgarh thrives with a variety of flora and fauna sheltering a wide variety of birds. Elephants, deer, leopards, sambar, nilgai, wild boar, gaur, stripped hyena, sloth bear are some of the other animals that can be sighted while in search if the wild beasts of Bandhavgarh.

The thriving population of tigers make Bandhavgarh an easy location of tiger spotting. There have been a number of photographers who could click some of the best wildlife photos in Bandhavgarh National Park.

One needs to prebook their safaris by selecting the preferred zones. Khitauli Zone is the least explore zone while the other two are quite famous among the tourists.

From Bandhavgah, you can also continue to the historic towns of Khajuraho – Orchha – Chanderi – Gwalior – Datia

Disclaimer: This Post is written in collaboration with Savaari Rentals. The experiences and views are of my own.

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About Me

I’m an Indian traveller and fearless adventurer. Exploring local cultures and discovering the essence of the places I visit is my passion. I find the real joy of travelling in going off the grid. Mountains feed my soul and the verdant valleys enlighten it. And I love capturing the vistas that my eyes see in and present it in the form of words for you all to imagine. And my camera creates the ultimate magic!